Getting Back to Us
by rllance
Summary: Morgan tells Garcia she is out of bounds when it comes to his relationship with Tamera Barnes. Can their friendship survive his callous words and all that lays ahead for them?
1. Losing Us

**Disclaimer: I do not own CM as much as I wish I did.**

**A/N: Okay so I know you guys want me to finish my current story but this one is taking over my head for now. I hope you like this one just as much.**

"Can we have a talk?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"First, I would like to say I love you…and the thing I love the most about you is how you care about other people."

"Garcia, what? What's going on?"

"I think you need to cut contact with Tamara Barnes."

"I didn't make contact with her; she was at the police station."

"Yeah, Okay, look me right in the eye and tell me the first break in this case, you don't run and tell her yourself."

"Penelope, she lost her brother, she just wants answers."

"Oh, I get it. I volunteer counseling these families. I think I know what she is going through."

"Then where is this coming from?"

"Okay, let's just ignore the whole ethical dilemma cause that's just too big and if you were to testify on this case, the whole thing would unravel if anybody were to find out that you were involved with a member of the victim's family.

"Whoa, whoa, stop, I love you and I respect you, you know that, but right now you are way out of bounds. I'm not involved. "

"The team was here working on a case and you're with her, you're involved."

"For your information, she lost it back at the station so I drove her home, end of story."

"But not for her Derek, she's so sad, and so confused, and angry, and desperately looking for anyone to swoop in and make it all better, and unless you are all in, and can be there for every stage of the grieving process, you are just another reason for her not to trust the world."

"She's simply trying to understand why this happened."

"There is no why and she'll make herself crazy trying to find one."

"Don't tell me."

"Bar Southeast, two dead. They're waiting for you."

"Baby, I got to go."

"Yeah," Garcia said as she watched him walk away trying not to let him see how much his words effected her and avoiding JJ's questioning gaze she made her way back to her computers. Shutting the door that separated her from the rest of the world, she sat down and let the tears fall. Wishing she could just pack up and head home, but she knew that they still needed her, so she sat there and waited for the call, hoping and praying that it would not be Derek on the other end of the line.

Derek's head was still reeling from his conversation with Penelope. Where did she get off telling him not to get INVOLVED with Tamara Barnes? It wasn't any of her business really; she wasn't his boss, his mother, his sister or his priest. He ignored it when the voice in his head that said she was his best friend and she did not want to see him hurt, as he turned the SUV in the direction of Tamara apartment, he ignored the voice that said he should really be apologizing to his Baby Girl. He even managed to ignore the replay of her words as he knocked on Tamara's apartment door.

Garcia knew Derek didn't come back with the rest of the team and she had a good idea where he went, but she didn't saying anything because even though it hurt to see Derek get in trouble with Hotch or Strauss, so she kept her mouth shut. She knocked oh Hotch's door not long after their return.

"Hey Boss Man, can I talk to you a minute?"

"Sure, Garcia, What's wrong?"

"Nothing really, I just would like to head home ahead of the rest of the team if that is okay."

"Sure, Penelope, are you sure there is nothing wrong?"

"Yeah, I am sure. I just want to get back to my bunker and finish some work for the other teams before the weekend."

"Penelope, you work hard enough those other teams can use the other techs in the tech pool."

"I know, sir, but the rest of the pool is not near as fast as I am. I would really like to help get all the teams home for the weekend, sir."

"Okay, Penelope, take Monday off, no arguments."

"Yes, sir."

Hotch shook his head as he watched he leave. He would love to get into that head of hers and find out what really was going on with her, but he didn't have time. He had to make some major decisions and soon if he was gonna get Haley and Jack back; he just hoped the team understood his decision.

Derek rode back to the office with JJ and Emily, and he had hoped Penelope only to find out she left ahead of them.

"What do you mean Penelope already left, How did she get back to the office?"

"One of the officers took her shortly after we got back, Hotch said she had work to do and wanted it done before the weekend."

"Yeah, right," Derek muttered as he hopped into the car.

"Derek is there something wrong between you and Garcia," JJ asked quietly.

"No, it's nothing."

"Okay, if you say so, but just so you know, she didn't look to happy when you guys left yesterday."

"Damn it," Derek cursed as he took off in his truck. Pen gave him the brush off when she tried to speak to him and there was only one place he could go and he turned toward Tamara's, his mind replaying is conversation with Penelope the whole way.

"Pen, we need to talk," he said as he pushed his way into her office.

"Whoa, Derek, knock much." She said as she whipped around to look at him.

"If I had knocked would you have let me in?" He asked frankly.

"Right now probably not because I am very busy with work, and I don't have time for chit chat, so if you want it you will have to find it elsewhere."

"Baby Girl,"

Derek, don't okay I am in the middle of 3 cases right now and I am expecting a phone call from a fourth team any minute now and it looks like instead of getting them home by the weekend, I will be working all weekend. She turned around and focused on her computer screens. She felt him put his hands on her shoulders and she flinched and he turned and left without another word.

Penelope left the BAU well after midnight, her cell phone had been ringing off the hook for hours between Derek and Kevin, neither of whom she felt like talking to right now. She shot them both a text message saying she was leaving work and she would call them soon.

Derek stared at his phone for several minutes before shutting it. She was still at work and she cc'd him on a text message to Kevin. He knew what that meant, He was losing his best friend and there was nothing he could do to change that.


	2. Uncomfortable Silence

**I don't own CM**

Derek walked through the parking lot on his way to work Monday morning and he noticed something missing. Ester was not in her spot in the back of the lot. He picked up his pace as he walked into the building, concerned that something had happened to Penelope.

"Hey JJ, Have you seen Pen this morning?"

No, Morgan, I asked Kevin where she was and even he didn't know, he said she worked all weekend though, so maybe she is coming in late."

"If you see her, can you let me know?"

"Sure." JJ shook her head as she walked away, something was definitely going on with those two, but she didn't have time to find out, she had to present the next case to Hotch.

Derek sat down at his desk and started the paper work that awaited them after they returned from every case. Thousands of cases needed profiles and he had more than his fair share, but he knew something was different about today and he knew what that was. He hadn't seen Penelope's smiling face all day or even heard her voice on the phone and that was strange for them. They at least talked everyday but he hadn't heard her voice in three days and the last time that had happened was when she got shot. The silence was killing him. As he read file after file he let his mind wander through the memories of their friendship. How did he mess things up this bad that the only communication they had had in days was a cc'd text message and more importantly how did he fix it.

"We've got a case," JJ yelled and Morgan jumped up and headed toward the round table.

"JJ, call Garcia, tell her I said I am sorry for cutting her day off short but we need her, and tell her to bring her go bag."

"Yes, sir," she said as she passed out the file to the rest of the team. She quickly briefed the team on the case. "Five girls ages 20-25, turning up dead, with no apparent connection, accept for their ages and being on the same social networking sites, but they have no friends in common."

Okay, everyone, wheels up in an hour. I will brief Garcia on the plane JJ, tell her to get here ASAP."

"Will do."

"Hotch I can go pick her up," Derek offered hopefully.

No, Morgan, you need to take Clooney to the kennel before we leave. I have a feeling this case is going to be a long one."

"Okay."

Derek headed back to the BAU after dropping Clooney at the kennel. He hated leaving him there but if the case was longer than a week he had no choice. As he parked his truck he noticed Penelope pulling into her usual spot. He watched as she got out and started to put the top up and Derek grabbed his go bag and went running toward her.

"Let me help you Baby Girl."

"I got it, thanks," she said as she struggled to lift the rag top and pull it forward.

"So, this is how it is going to be between us from now on, Pen?"

"I don't know what you mean Derek."

"I mean you ignored every single one of my calls this weekend, I even went by your place to talk to you and you didn't answer the door."

"Well, Derek I know you think I have no life or work besides you and the team, but for your information I worked all weekend which means I was here until 6 AM when Hotch literally pushed me out of my office and sent me home for the day. It is now only 10 AM and I am back here about ready to put in what JJ says will be one hell of a week or maybe even two and the last thing I want to do right now is discuss where our relationship is headed." She snapped the last clip in place before continuing. "Now if you will excuse me, I have to load some equipment in the SVU before we leave and I only have 20 minutes to do it." Derek watched as she turned her back on him and walked determinedly towards the building and had no choice but to follow her. By the time he got inside she had disappeared upstairs already. "Damn," he thought, how was he supposed to fix things between them if she kept running away? Taking the stairs two at the time Derek made it upstairs in no time, but Penelope wasn't in the bull pen. He dropped his go bag on his desk and went to go find her.

He found her in her bunker; she was packing several laptops in their cases.

"Penelope?"

"Derek, I really don't have time for this. I still have 2 more laptops to pack up and my portable hard drives, along with a few monitors that I may need and I now have exactly 15 minutes to do so, so I really do not have time to chat, besides don't you have someone you need to call and let them know you will be out of town for a while." As she watched him wince she knew that was one barb too far, but she couldn't help it, what he was doing was wrong on so many levels, not to mention how much his words the other day hurt her, but she would never let him know just how much.

Derek grabbed the door handle and stormed out of Pen' office. There was no chance of the burying the hatchet as long as she was in this mood. This was going to be the case from hell in more ways than one. He knocked on Hotch's door.

"Hotch, I am going to go ahead and head out."

"Why? I am sure Garcia could use your help loading her equipment in the back of the SUV."

"Nope, I already asked and she made it perfectly clear she doesn't need my help."

"Morgan, what is going on between you two?"

"Nothing, really, we are just having a rough patch Hotch."

"Derek, you need to fix this, the last thing we need on this case is you and Garcia fighting. I need her to be at her best this time and you know it."

"I am trying Hotch, really I am, but if I have to stay out of her way on this case I will."

"No, Derek, what you need to do is what I said and go help her load the stuff in the SUV and get past whatever problems you have I can't play referee between the two of you I have enough problems with Strauss right now. Tell Penelope I said she is to let you help or she will have to deal with me. Now go."

Derek shook his head and head back down to Garcia's bunker. He knew she wasn't going to be happy, but hell he wasn't all that happy about it either, but he knew Hotch had a lot of stress on him right now and the last thing he needed was the team to add to it. He she started to knock on the door when it was snatched open. Kevin Lynch stormed out of the office right into Derek's chest.

"Whoa, sorry man," Morgan said quickly.

"Fuck off, Morgan," Kevin said as he tried to get out.

"Kevin," Penelope yelled.  
"Sorry, I just have to get out of here," he muttered before scurrying off

"Derek, I told you I don't have time for you right now, so if it isn't work related please move out of my way.

He looked at her full hands positioned himself back in front of the in front of the door. "Well, sorry to disappoint you Baby Girl, but Boss Man told me I was in charge of loading your stuff in the SUV and the plane, so you are stuck with me even if you don't want to be."

"Well, that's just great, just freaking great. My life is screwed up enough and I get stuck to you like Velcro. Well, here Hot Stuff," she said as she handed him her bags, and her hard drives. N "You can load it all in the car yourself; I have some files that I need to deliver before we leave here." She said as she grabbed her pink go bag and pushed past him heading in the opposite direction.

Derek watched her as she practically ran away from him and he shook his head. It was clear she wanted nothing to do with him right now and that things were not all that great with her and Lynch. Derek picked up all the stuff he knew she would need and walked to the elevator. He bad his way to his SUV and opened the back with his key fob. He carefully sat the boxes in the back, along with his go bag, and stood there waiting. Five minutes later the rest of the team emerged from the building. Morgan put on his sunglasses and got in the driver seat. Reid and Emily got in his SUV and JJ, and Garcia rode with Hotch and Rossi and Derek wasn't all that surprised.

"Wow, this must be something big."

"Emily, what are you talking about?"

"This thing going on between Morgan and Garcia."

"Morgan, what is going on with you and Garcia," Reid asked.

"Nothing is going on between me and Garcia, kid."

"Not according to JJ, she said she walked up on you and Penelope talking the other day and she said Penelope hasn't been the same since. Care to elaborate on the situation Derek," Emily said with a smirk.

"No, I would not. Whatever goes on between Penelope and me is just that, between Penelope and me."

"I beg differ Morgan, because if it effects our working environment, it is very much our business. Besides if you are hurting Penelope, I will be forced to hurt you."

"Emily, butt out, really I didn't do anything to intentionally hurt Pen, and I am not discussing it with anyone but her and spent the entire weekend trying to do just that, when she is ready to talk to me she will do so, and until then I wish you all would leave us the hell alone."

"Geez, angry much," Emily mutter before everybody in the SUV fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Derek pulled the SUV into the parking lot and got out and started unloading yes and Penelope's stuff from the back. He didn't say a word to anyone just loaded the stuff in the plane and took a seat in the back away from everyone else and put his headphones on his head. He knew Hotch was going to brief Pen on the plane ride and that right now there wasn't much to start building a profile on yet. He watched in silence as Pen sat across from Hotch and set to work. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her fingers fly other the keys. He had to find a way for them to get past this and move on, he thought as he felt his phone vibrate. It was a text message from Tamara telling him to be careful. When he finished replying and looked up. He looked right into the eyes of his Baby Girl, as she looked away; he knew it would be a while before he came out of his uncomfortable silence.


	3. No Chance to Say I Am Sorry

**A/N: I am back after a long absence. Sorry my loyal readers life and death got in the way but I am back now. I hope it has been with the wait. As usual I do not own CM as much as I wish I did. Enjoy3**

Derek was unloading Pen's equipment from the back of the SUV and everyone but Rossi had gone inside the station to set up.

"So, Morgan do you wanna talk about the gigantic elephant in the room or not."

"Rossi, I don't know why this whole team thinks that they can stick their noses in mine and Penelope's business. We are having a rough patch in our friendship that is all."

"Derek, I think this is more than a rough patch, and I think you know it. You, two have had rough patches before right? But as far as I know it has never affected the whole team before."

"Damn it Rossi, I refuse to discuss our problems with anyone else but Penelope, so can you drop it and help me here."

"Sure, but can I say one more thing."

"I guess so, as long as you help while you say it."

Rossi picked up one of the boxes before speaking. "I know you want to wait until the right moment to talk to her about what is happening between the two of you, but what if you don't get the chance to say you're sorry."

"What are you talking about Rossi; do you know something I don't?"

"I know that sometimes you put off things until it is too late, especially with our job, you never know what will happen. Do you want Pen to have to live with the fact that the last words you two spoke to each other were angry ones?"

"Hell, Rossi that is the last thing I want, but she won't talk to me so how can I fix it?"

"I don't know Derek, but if you don't fix it, it will be one hell of a road trip for all of us," Rossi said as he carried the box towards the station.

By the time Derek finished setting up Pen's equipment the rest of the team were sitting at the table that was set up for them.

"Hotch? Are you sure about this?" He heard Rossi ask as he took his usual seat next to Reid.

"I don't see that we have much choice here Dave, do you have a better idea."

"We could use JJ or Prentiss as bait."

"Dave neither one of them has the technical knowledge of Penelope and you know that besides I don't plan on putting her in any actual danger, just use her to create a social profile that appeals to our unsub."

"But Hotch, what if that isn't enough to flush him out then what?"

"Then we protect her at all cost Dave, I don't have the time to argue with you about this. Penelope has agreed to do this and she is the only one who has a right to say no."

"Whoa," Derek said as he came out of his trance. "Did I just hear you right Hotch you plan on using Garcia as bait for this unsub? Please tell me I heard that wrong."

"No, Morgan you heard him right. Apparently Penelope convinced him on the plane that this would be a good idea. Personally, I think they have both lost their marbles, but what the hell do I know," Rossi said as he got up from the table and left. The rest of the team followed, leaving only Morgan, Hotch and Garcia sitting at the table.

Derek was quiet for several seconds before speaking again. "Hotch, this is insane, and you know it. Penelope has no experience in undercover work, even if it is just setting up a profile on these social network sites, it could be dangerous."

"You and Dave don't think I know that, you think I want to put Garcia in a position where she could be hurt. I don't, but Morgan we have no information other than these girls belonged to the same social networks and no one else has enough experience with these sites to make it look realistic enough to even fool this unsub. He is smart and tech savvy and if we don't do something soon other girls will die."

"But, Hotch," Derek muttered before he was interrupted by Garcia.

"Okay, that is enough. I am tired of the alpha males on this team discussing me like I am not even in the room. Sorry boss man if my volunteering for this is causing you more problems, but as for the other two of you, yes David Rossi I can see you, I am a big girl and I do know that this could be dangerous, but I also know the only way we will catch this guy is if we do some fishing; and I willingly signed up as bait because I trust my team will do everything in their power to protect me. DO NOT make me regret that choice," she said as she left the room.

Derek followed after her past the rest of the team who were standing just outside the door with their mouths wide open, shocked that Penelope had willingly taken this assignment without discussing it with any of them, but especially Morgan who was looking even more shocked than the rest of them put together. Derek caught up with her as she sat down in front of her computers.

"Baby Girl," he said gently.

"Derek Morgan, don't you dare Baby Girl me," Penelope said barely able to contain her anger any longer. How dare he even try to talk Hotch out of letting her do this? Talk about being out of bounds.

"Penelope, we need to talk about this."

"Derek, you have no say in this at all, don't you get it. This is my choice and nothing you can do or say will change my mind."

"Well, will you at least tell me one thing?"

"Maybe, depends on what you want to know."

"Why are you putting yourself in harm's way like this, you could set up a profile for Emily or JJ just as easily as you could yourself."

"It is not that easy, as Hotch said, this guy is tech savvy and he will be able to spot a fake profile a mile away.

"I think there is more to it than that, but you know what Baby Girl you can't run forever and when this case is over we will discuss the elephant in the room if I have to lock you in your bunker to do it."

"Wow, Mister Derek Morgan trying to show off his profiler skills, well Mister Profiler I have one thing to say about that; Hot Stuff I love you and I respect you but YOU are way out of bounds. My choices do not revolve around you."

Dave had been watching the exchange between Morgan and Garcia from across the room hoping that Morgan was talking her out of doing something stupid, but he knew watching Morgan walking away from her, looking as if she had slapped him, that was not what happened between them at all. He was convinced more than ever that Morgan may not get a chance to fix what was wrong between them, only now he didn't know if it was going to be Penelope who lived to regret those words said in anger or if it would be Derek, but he had a bad feeling about this case.


	4. Can't Sleep

**A/N: Hope this chapter is worth the wait guys **

Derek watched Penelope's hands as they flew across the keyboard and clicked the mouse, He knew she was setting up the profile that would lead her directly into the arms of a serial killer and there wasn't a damn thing he could say to change her mind. After all they had been through on this job together, he was at a loss. Why did he say that to P, she really had his best interest and the team's best interest at heart hadn't she? How could he fix it before it was too late? If anything happened to her before he could, how would he live with that? It Battle all over again. He could have prevented this if he had just kept his mouth shut and walked away.

He watched as Penelope got up from her desk and started packing up for the night. He wanted so much to say he was sorry, but the words he spoke to her were so wrong that he knew sorry would never be enough to fix the widening gulf between them. All he knew is one of them had to stop it from growing any further and it did not seem that any of his words worked to stop it, they had only increased it, so he did the only thing he knew to do, which was to shut up all together. He watched as Penelope, JJ, Emily and Reid all left together to head to the hotel, which left he Rossi and Hotch to wrap up for the night, before they returned to the profile in the morning.

Derek sat quietly in the back of the SUV as Hotch drove and Rossi rode shotgun. It was unusually quiet as each man had a lot on his mind, not just the case, but life in general. As they approached the hotel Derek was getting antsy about the night ahead. He knew sleep would elude him for most of the night if not all of it. He jumped out of the out of the SUV as soon as Hotch pulled into the parking spot.

"Morgan." Hotch yelled after him

"Aaron, leave it," Rossi said as he put his hand on Hotch's shoulder.

"But Dave, we cannot afford for Morgan to go off half cocked on this case or any other for that matter. There is too much at stake for all of us right now."

"Hotch, how do you expect him to be? The woman he cares for more than anyone else on this team, probably one of the four most important people in his life is putting her life on the line when she really shouldn't be. She is not talking to him and he doesn't know how to fix it. If anyone should be able to understand where his head is at right now it is you."

"Dave, don't you think if I felt there was another way to do this I would be all for it. Penelope is NOT a trained field agent and this will be dangerous but can't you see Penelope is the most qualified of us to deal with the complexities of the world of these social networks. I don't have time for her to train Emily or JJ. Strauss is breathing down my neck. I just cannot deal with the Morgan and Garcia drama right now, if Strauss knew what was going on between those two right now she would disband the team right now."

"I get it Hotch, so go talk to Morgan or Penelope or both, but we cannot ignore what is going on between the two of them."

"How about you talk to Penelope and I take Morgan?"

"Chicken," Dave said laughing.

"Not chicken, smart," Aaron smiled.

Dave and Aaron walked into the hotel together and went their separate ways as they went in search of their intended targets, who they both knew were not sleeping.

Dave softly knocked on Penelope's door, half hoping she would be sleeping and not hear what he had to say, if only he knew what to say of course. He was just about to turn and head to his own room when Penelope opened the door.

"Dave? What are you doing here this late? Is something wrong?"

Dave takes in the sight of Penelope, her eyes are rimmed with red and he can see the tracks of the many tears she has shed since she got back to the hotel.

"No Penelope, there is nothing wrong, but I think you could use someone to talk to and I wanted to make sure you were okay with everything. Can I come in?"

"Sure," she said as she opened the door wider to allow him entry.

He waited until she was seated on the bed before he continued speaking.

"Pen, are you okay?"

"Yes, Dave."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"You and Derek Penelope, what went on with you two?"

"Dave, I would rather not."

"Too bad, Pen, I have my orders from the boss man that I am to talk to you okay, so just listen to me and then if you feel like you want to say anything afterward I will listen with no judgment okay. Whatever happened between you and Derek is affecting the whole team Pen and right now it is the last thing when need for you guys to be at each other's throats. I don't know what happened between the two of you and I really don't care, but what I do know is I saw a side of Morgan I haven't seen since you were shot. He is scared Penelope, scared of losing you, that is making it very hard for him to do his job effectively."

"Dave, I can't help what is going on with Derek, what happened between us was on his part and not mine and as far as it affecting the team. I am sorry for that, but he knows what he needs to do to fix this. Now if you will excuse me I need to go to bed. I still have many hours of work tomorrow before I can bring the fake social network profiles online and as you said we cannot afford a mistake due to lack of sleep or anything else, "she said in a rush as she held the door open, afraid for Dave to stay one more second as she was close to tears again. She hated this Morgan was the most important person in her life and he just pushed her aside like she meant nothing. She shut the door quietly and collapsed on the bed crying herself to sleep.

Dave listened to Penelope's quiet sobs for few minutes before he took off towards his own room.

Meanwhile Hotch was still looking for Derek. He had knocked on his hotel room door and got no answer. He was running out of places to look when he decided to check the bar. He found Derek sitting on a stool nursing a beer.

"What's the matter Derek can't sleep?"

"No, Hotch not really."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No Hotch, not really."

"Well, I do. You know I was hoping you and Penelope could work this out on your own, but I see it is not going to happen unless I make it happen. You know Derek I do get that you are worried about her. Do you think I really want to put her in danger? Do you think she is not scared to death that it will be like Battle all over again? Yes, Derek, I know what you are thinking and so does she, but I also know you have to get your head out of your ass and protect her or you will not be any good to anyone."

"Hotch, I-?"

"No, Derek, listen to me a minute, I get that whatever caused this riff between you and Garcia is between you and Garcia, I really get that, but I need you to become a big boy here. I have Strauss breathing down my neck over the Reaper, not mention I am worried about Hailey and Jack every second. I cannot babysit the two of you on this, so I suggest you and Penelope grow up a little and keep your personal problems at home and out of the office."

Hotch walked away leaving Derek to stare at the back of his head thinking he was losing his marbles, which was exactly what he needed him to think. Derek left the rest of his beer untouched, threw some money on the bar, and headed up to his room.


End file.
